Anthony, a college student, was writing a paper on quality of life. He
wanted to know what made people happy and if they were content with their lives.

He did not want to question common people on the street,
but sought the advice of someone who had lived an entire lifetime.

At a local nursing home he asked who was the wisest person there and everyone pointed to Joe.

Joe was an elderly man in his eighties with a body to match his age, setting in a wheel chair, back slumped and head down, drooling from the mouth. But he had a sharp mind and tongue.

Old Joe had fought in a World War before founding a manufacturing company and retiring a millionaire. He once bought a yacht and sailed around the world.

Anthony knew he had found the man who could explain happiness and quality of life.

Joe reached in his pocket and pulled out a tape measure and handed it to Anthony and said, "this will explain life." Anthony was confused. How could a tape measure explain life? Was Joe senile?

Then Joe said to pull the tape measure until 72 inches were showing. He explained each inch represents one year of life and the average person
has 72 years of productive life. Many people are active after 72 years but many also die or are disabled before that time.

He told Anthony to run his finger from the end of the measure to inch number 6. That is the first years of a person's life when they learn to walk, talk and tie their shoes.

Next, inches 7 to 22 is the years a person is getting an education and preparing for life.

Then from inches 23 all the way to 62 is when a person marries, raises a family, works a job and hopefully saves money for retirement.

The remaining inches, 62 to 72, is the time when a person can do all the things he wants to do in life but never seemed to have time to do them.

Anthony looked at those 10 inches and they looked small compared to the 62 inches already consumed. The more he loo...

I was on a ride once in AZ flying between two points trying to accomplish something that had to be done.
I was zooming through Salt River Canyon just consuming the miles in speeds haste and scrappin the chrome on the curves.
At one rest stop I saw an elderly couple with walkers probably real close if not beyond those 72 inches barely hobbling to the edge to enjoy the scenery.
I thought to myself here I am 27 inches at the time in the prime of my life and all I am doing is hurrying to get things done and to get some where and really not enjoying the scenery along the way because I am too focused on the endpoints.
I don't want to work 40 years and then only be able to go as far as my medications and artifical supports will take me. I want to live my life in every inch of my being not just in those last 10 but now everyday. I am now 9 inches down the road and have lived many dreams and am still dreaming more. If I die at any moment along this road I don't want to say but "%^" I didn't get my 10inches. I want to scream f*&^ yeah that was a great life every inch of it.
Thanks Thunder
Enjoying each inch

Well ya'll are just gonna have to make up your own ending...I musta deleted it. AND I get so much mail I don't even remember who sent it. F..me

OK..take over..somebody start writing some endings here. WOOOHOOO
..And who said PERSEVERENCE doesn't pay off didn't know what they were talking about. I FOUND IT!!!

WHEW..here is the rest of the story (in my best Paul Harvey voice). LOL
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Anthony looked at those 10 inches and they looked small compared to the 62 inches already consumed. The more he looked, the more he understood what Joe was trying to say.

What will you do with those 10 inches or years? Did you always want to see the Grand Canyon, tour Europe, ride a motorcycle to Key West or write a book?

Ten years is a short period in a person's life and those are the years you can fulfill your life long dreams.